According to data from Opta, the Portuguese – who departs Stamford Bridge for the second time, with them 16th in the Premier League after as many matches – has accrued an average of 2.19 points per match in his 212 in charge of the Blues.

Manchester United's Ferguson, who retired in 2013 after almost 27 years in charge at Old Trafford, averaged 2.16 points across his whopping 810 league games in charge – followed by Manuel Pellegrini (Manchester City, 2.14) and Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea, 2.07). Ex-City boss Roberto Mancini rounds off the top five (2.05).

Feeling blue

Chelsea lost their ninth game of the season with Monday night's 2-1 defeat to Leicester at the King Power Stadium.

Previously, Mourinho had never lost more than six games in a league campaign before this season's struggles – and that total was recorded last season, when his west Londoners won the title at a canter.

It has culminated in the Premier League's worst-ever title defence after 16 matches, with the Blues six points worse off than Blackburn Rovers were at this stage of the season in 1995/96. That year, Rovers finished seventh.

Even in Chelsea's most feeble of title defences before this season, 2010/11, they had mustered 30 points after 16 games and finished second.